Werder Bremen CEO Thomas Eichin says Aron Johannsson could have to sit out the rest of 2015 after undergoing successful hip surgery earlier this week. Eichin said Johannsson's hip problems predated his arrival at Bremen from Dutch club AZ. "The medical showed that he could join us. But the work load had a negative effect," Eichin said. "We then decided that he needed surgery. Aron was on a good run. And we could really use his speed and his cleverness right now."

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal dismissed criticism by former United star Paul Scholes of the team's style of play under the Dutchman, saying "sticks and stones will break my bones, names won't hurt me."

Jose Mourinho has finally admitted the obvious: he "cannot promise" Chelsea will secure a UEFA Champions League berth next season following Chelsea's worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign. The Blues enter Saturday's game against Liverpool 15th in the EPL,

Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a resolution urging FIFA to pay women the same as men at its World Cups. Tennessee Republican Lamar Alexander said the Senate had more pressing business than "offering opinions and resolutions about a private international entity and how they should award prizes."

The Seattle Sounders' Obafemi Martins was called up by Nigeria for the first time in three years. He's in the squad of 23 players named for the two-leg series Nov. 13 and Nov. 17 against Swaziland in World Cup 2018 qualifying.

Kuwaiti Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the sports kingmaker who joined the FIFA executive committee this year, says Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa will withdraw from the FIFA presidential race if suspended Michel Platini is allowed back in the race.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has 13 goals in 10 games for Borussia Dortmund, wants to move to La Liga in the future but only when he decides the time is right to leave Signal Iduna Park. He recently signed a new contract with Dortmund until 2020.

Former Manchester United star Paul Scholes says playing the current United team, managed by Dutchman Louis van Gaal, would not have been fun. "It's a team now you wouldn't want to play against because they're tightly organized," Scholes said. "But it seems [Van Gaal] doesn't want players to beat men and it's probably not a team I'd have enjoyed playing in."

Former Brazilian soccer federation president Jose Maria Marin agreed to be extradited to the United States, where he faces bribery charges in connection with the indictments of 14 FIFA officials and sports marketing executives.

Bayern Munich scored three goals in the first 34 minutes en route to a 5-1 win over defending champion Wolfsburg in the thitd round of the German Cup. It was Bayern's second victory over Wolfsburg in two months.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino says his young England international star Harry Kane will learn from his recent drought -- one goal in 13 games -- that ended with a hat trick in Sunday's 5-1 Premier League win over Bournemouth.

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany doesn't regret playing for Belgium in Euro qualifiers against Andorra and Israel during the recent international break against the wishes of his manager, Manuel Pellegrini. "For now, the past, and the future, it's always going to be a little bit of a tricky situation," the Red Devils captain said. "They are two very important teams that have different goals and ambitions and it's just normal that stuff like this happens. I would not have played if I was not fit. But I'm a professional and I don't need too much explanation. ...

Arsene Wenger has never won the much-maligned English League Cup in his 19 years at Arsenal, and he won't win it in 2015-16. Arsenal dropped a humiliating 3-0 decision at second-tier Sheffield Wednesday to exit in the fourth round on Tuesday. The game was over quickly as Ross Wallace and Lucas Joao scored in the first half, and Sam Hutchinson added the third soon after the break.